Variable tone duck call



June 12, 1951 L. BICOCCHI VARIABLE TONE DUCK CALL F'iled May 12, 1949 Bicacchi Patented June 12, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- 3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in variable tone duck calls for use by hunters to attract wild ducks to within shooting range.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a duck call of the wind instrument, vibratory reed-type which is equipped with manipulative rotary means whereby the tone, or call produced may be quickly andeasily varied, as to pitch, within a wide range of variations, while the instrument is being held to the mouth and the call sounded.

Another object is to provide a device of the character and for the purpose set forth which is especially designed for easy and quick replacement of the reed should the same become damaged.

Still another object is to provide a duck call which is especially strong and durable and adapted for manufacture at a comparatively low 'cost Still another object is to provide a duck call, all parts of which are adapted for easy and quick disassembly for cleaning, or other purposes, and for easy quick assembly, for instance, for replacement of parts.

Other and subordinate objects, within the purview of my invention, together with the precise nature of my improvements will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my improved duck call in 'a preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section drawn to a larger scale and taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure '4 is a similar view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2; n H

Figure 5 is another similar view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2 Figure 6 is a view in perspective of the tongue or sound box;

Figure '7 is a similar view of the reed and anchoring member.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, and first to Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment thereof my improved duck call has the form of a wind instrument comprising a tubular casing I forming a mouthpiece with a uniform diameter bore 2 and a front mouth end 3 toward which said casing I tapers externally and for use in blowing into the casing. The casing I is preferably formed of wood with circumferential, external grooves 4 providing against slipping of the casing out of the hand and also imparting an ornamental appearance to said casing.

A tubular, rearwardly flaring reed and sound box holder 5 is removably fitted, with a wedge fit, part-way into, the rear end 6 of the casing I and projects out of said rear end a short distance for a purpose presently seen. Said holder 5 is also formed of wood, preferably, but with a metal liner bushing I fitted with a tight friction fit therein for reinforcing purposes.

A flat reed 9 extends forwardly out of the front end of said holder 5 and longitudinally into the casing I for a suitable distance, in the longitudinal center of said holder and casing. The reed 9 is fitted at its rear end in the front end of the liner bushing I by means of a segmental reed anchoring member I I, of cork, fitted in said liner bushing I and preferably cemented thereto, as at I2, with the rear end of the reed 9 preferably cemented, as at I3, fiatwise to said member II, the free front end I I of said reed 9 being adjacent the front end of the casing I and said reed being free to vibrate forwardly of said member I I.

A tongue I5 with a longitudinal side groove I 6 and forming a sound box extends out of the front end of the liner bushing 1, which is to say, said holder 5, into the casing I parallel with the reed 9 and with the groove I6 terminating adjacent the front end I! of said tongue or sound box IE. The tongue or sound box I5 has its grooved side normally slidable along the reed 9 in frictional engagement therewith opposite the reed anchoring member II, the groove I6 being bridged by said reed. The front end ll of the tongue or sound box I5, on the grooved side thereof, is curved to recede from the free end I4 of the reed 9 to permit a blast of air to pass between said reed 9 and the tongue or sound box I5 into the groove I6. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the tongue or sound box I5, with the exception presently noted, is substantially semi-cylindrical in cross section to fit between the reed 9 and the liner bushing 'I and slide in said liner bushing.

For reasons which will be understood, when a blast of air is blown into the front mouth end 3 of the casing I, the reed 9, forwardly of the rear anchored end thereof, is caused to vibrate 0pposite the groove I6 of the tongue or sound box I5 and produce a tone which may be controlled, by control of the blast, to simulate the call of a duck. By sliding, or adjusting, the tongue or sound box I5, longitudinally alone the reed 9,

the length of reed permitted to vibrate opposite the groove I6 may be varied to vary the pitch of the tone for simulating the call of ducks of different kinds. The following means is provided for so sliding, or adjusting, said tongue or sound box I5.

A metal tuning sleeve I9 is rotatably extended into the rear end of the liner bushing I, which is to say, said holder 5, with a peripherally knurled circumferential rear end flange 20 fitting against the rear end of said holder and for grasping by the fingers of one hand to rotate said sleeve IS.

A rear end, external shoulder 2| on said sleeve I9 fits in the liner bushing I to form a bearing and forwardly of said shoulder 2| the tuning sleeve I9 is reduced and externally threaded, as at 22, for a purpose presently seen. A circumferential groove 23 in the shoulder 2i and a retaining stud 2e threaded through the reed and sound box holder 5 and the liner bushing i, and extending into the groove 23 retains the tuning sleeve I9 in place against endwise movement in the liner bushing I.

An internally threaded coupling sleeve 25, of metal, which is slidable endwise in the liner bushing 3, and into which the tuning sleeve is is threaded, operatively connects said tuning sleeve I9 to the tongue or sound box I5 which is provided with an eccentric rear end disk 23 threaded tight into the front end of the coupling sleeve 25 and provided with a bore 21 communicating the rear end of the groove IS with the coupling sleeve 25 and the tuning sleeve I9.

The use and operation of the described preferred embodiment of my improved duck call will be readily understood from the foregoing. Suffice it to further explain that with the casing I held in one hand, when a tone is produced, in the manner explained, by blowing into the front mouth end 3 of said casing I, the tuning sleeve I9 may be rotated by turning the flange with the fingers and thumb of the other hand to slide, or adjust, the tongue or sound box I5 endwise longitudinally along and relative to the reed 9 to vary the pitch of the tone produced, in the manner already explained, such sliding or adjustment of said tongue or sound box I5 resulting from screw feeding of the coupling sleeve endwise by rotation of the tuning sleeve I9.

To disassemble the parts of the described duck call, the reed and sound box holder 5 may be pulled out of the casing I. The retaining stud 2Q may then be unscrewed out of the groove 23 and the tuning sleeve I9 unscrewed out of the coupling sleeve 25 and pulled out of the liner bushing I. The coupling sleeve 25 may then be slid rearwardly out of the liner bushing I with the tongue or sound box I5. The tongue or sound box I5 may then be unscrewed out of the coupling sleeve 25. The reed 9 and anchoring member H may be pulled loose, as desired. In this connection, the cement may be dispensed with between the anchoring member I I and the reed 9 and liner bushing l and said member may be used as a plug frictionally held in place to correspondingly hold the reed in place. The disassembled parts'may'be re-assemled by reversing, substantially, the procedure described for disassembly of the parts.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification, without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a wind instrument of the class described, a tubular casing having a front mouth end for use in blowing through the casing, wind responsive means in said casing for producing a tone simulating a duck call including a longitudinally grooved tongue forming a sound box, and an elongated reed extending along said groove for vibration opposite the same to produce the tone, said tongue being longitudinally and slidably adjustable-along said reed to vary the length of reed which may vibrate opposite said groove whereby to vary the pitch of thetone, and a manipulative rotary tuning member: in the rear end of said casing operatively connected to said tongue to adjust the same.

2. In a wind instrument of the class described, a tubular casing having a front mouth end for use in blowing through the casing, wind responsive means in said casing for producing a tone simulating a duck call including a longitudinally grooved tongue forming a sound box, and an elongated reed extending along said groove for vibration opposite the same to produce the tone, said tongue being longitudinally and slidably adjustable along said reed'to vary the length of reed which may vibrate opposite said groove whereby to vary the pitch of the tone, a manipulative rotary tuning sleeve in the rear end of said casing, and a coupling sleeve threaded onto said tuning sleeve for screw feed along the same and rigidly connected to said tongue to adjust said tongue.

3. In a wind instrument of the class described, a tubular casing having a front mouth end for use in blowing through the casing, wind responsive means in said casing for producing a tone simulating a duck call including a longitudinally grooved tongue forming a sound box, and an elongated reed extending along said groove for vibration opposite the same to produce the tone, said tongue being longitudinally and slidably adjustable along said reed to varythe length of reed which may vibrate opposite said groove whereby to vary the pitch of the tone, a manipulative rotary tuning sleeve in the rear end of said casing, and a coupling sleeve threaded into said tuning sleeve for screw feed along the same and rigidly connected to said tongue to adjust said tongue, the connection between said coupling sleeve and tongue comprising an enlarged end head on the tongue threaded into the coupling sleeve and having a port therein for communicating one end of the groove with said sleeves.

LOUIS BICOCCHI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

